Awakening
by TranquilUtopia
Summary: How do you react when you realize nothing is as it seems? What happens when you realize there are gaps in your memory? Meika Sasaki, an above average high school girl, suddenly finds out that the world is different than she had thought. Yet, she felt she already knew. What happens when the gang finds out what's really going on? AU; Eventually Kurama/OC
1. Prologue

**A/N: So, first off, thanks for reading! I hope you enjoy it! Second, Just to let everyone know, this story will be handwritten, and might take longer to update than I want. Thus, I won't have a set update day anytime soon. Thank you Gift Of The Dragons for beta reading for me! :)**

**Now, on to the prologue~**

**Prologue**

_ A cold chill passed over my body as the last of my energy drained away into nothing. I had done away with my lone demon opponent, but that didn't exactly mean that my life was still guaranteed. After all, the incision in my left shoulder, courtesy of my opponent's scythe, was still seeping a dark crimson liquid down my shirtfront. Another chill wracked my bones and chattered my teeth, and I couldn't help but think of the irony. Were Shadow demons supposed to feel the cold?_

_ I gritted my teeth and leaned against the cold bark of the cherry tree and slowly slid down to the ground. My legs crossed loosely beneath me to support my weight as my arms hung limp at my sides, going just as numb and useless as the rest of my body. I was going to die here after all of the trouble it'd taken to get here in the Human World. After everything, namely losing my friends during raids long ago, losing most of my family to a vengeful demon- who died shortly after, of course- and fleeing my homeland to survive, I was going to give up._

_ Yet, one face came to my mind's eye. Who was it that I currently thought of? Only the Legendary Bandit of the Makkai; the demon who hadn't once left me to die, even when my grave mistakes had left me little chance of survival. The man who had once been an idol to me; someone I had looked up to._

_ I found it pathetic to think that he'd suddenly show up, golden eyes alight with slight irritation and other emotions I hadn't ever been able to read and a cold smirk on his face. After all, he'd been dead for close to twelve years now, and I had known that since the incident. Then again, I'd been this way when Kuronoue had been placed in his tough spot as well. I couldn't help the scoff that escaped me, aimed at my own stupidity and naivety. "I guess some things never truly change." I mumbled to myself, letting my eyes slide shut._

_ The sound of footsteps suddenly reached my ears, though I showed no signs of being aware of the sound. It wasn't as if it would matter anyway; the only beings that would find me out here would be the beings in which would know the difference between consciousness and unconsciousness. I was too far from any town for a human to find me; too far out into the forestry. No human was brave enough to tough the cold, let alone the dense and dangerous wilderness that surrounded their town._

_ "How much further?" a male's voice echoed, barely registering with my ears as I began to succumb to the darkness, though I fought it off for as long as I could._

_ "Not far, sir. Kumori Mizu's energy signature was last detected fifteen meters from " The female's voice halted, as did the sound of footsteps. I had been spotted, and I know it won't be good. "Koenma, I think that's her over there!"_

_ Then, the sound of rushing feet was drowned out by the darkness I could no longer fend off, and I knew no more._


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One**

Cherry blossom petals floated almost lazily to the ground, each pink flower caressed by the gentle and warm breeze and causing them to detach from the tree limbs. The afternoon sun threw its harsh rays into every window of the town's buildings and cars, helping in people all over the city to fall into their springtime daydreams. Students listened as teachers droned on about the day's work and notes, some using the sun's rays to pull them into a silent lull of boredom. This was especially the case in a class of twenty-four students, where the only sounds were those of bubbling chemicals and the Advanced Biochemistry teacher giving his lecture. His monotonous voice echoed off of the white walls of the room while the acrid stench of smoke and acid filled the students' noses despite two fans' attempts at billowing the scent out of the two open windows. Needless to say, the fans did very little for the cramped classroom. Students sneezed and sniffled and rubbed their nose at the lingering stench; it was almost unbearable.

Among the twenty-four students, all clad in red or pink uniforms, was a girl with odd colored white hair and smoky eyes to accompany, though they were hidden behind thin, black-rimmed glasses that truly did nothing for her poor eyesight. Her ankles were crossed beneath the ash wood lab table while her red uniform-clad elbow was propped on its surface, supporting the weight of her chin in her hand. Her small frame was slumped in the chair slightly, accompanying her bored expression nicely. A spiral and pencil lay forgotten in front of her, the paper blank to prove she hadn't even attempted to take notes. A soft sigh escaped her lips and, much to her surprise, the teacher rounded on her, calling her back to reality.

"Miss Sasaki, please give a description of collagenase." he demanded, brown eyes cold and hard as stones and tone filled with irritation.

Turning her grey orbs onto the burly man, Meika raised a brow at him as if she hadn't heard him, when in truth she had heard him just as if he had yelled at her. Reluctantly, she answered. "Collagenase is any group of various enzymes that normally catalyze the hydrolysis of collagen and gelatin." She paused a moment, gave a look of consideration and slight annoyance before continuing. "If you'd like a better description, then it is an enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of peptide bonds in triple helical regions of collagen, and is often found in micro-organisms. It's believed to contribute to periodontal disease," she answered coolly, only glancing at Mr. Mura to hide the fact that his question had been painstakingly simple for her to answer.

The students around her either gaped openly or snickered at her matter-of-fact tone, acknowledging that she had won the small challenge that the professor had thrown her way. It was obvious no one had expected her to answer it, much less get it right. Then again, they were judgmental, always thinking that the quiet kids were always dumb, stuck up, or had a "holier-than-thou" persona. Though, contrary to their belief, this girl was much smarter than any of them could even imagine, though she wasn't even sure how she had come to know so much. She'd just been smart from a very young age, and her knowledge only seemed to grow as she did.

"Very good," Mr. Mura commented, almost sarcastically. "Now try not to go to sleep. I'd hate to send you to the office for slacking off."

As the professor began his lecture where he had left off, Meika simply tuned him out and took to doodling all over her blank notebook page at the front of her new spiral. Her pencil moved across the paper, as if it had a mind of its own, and shapes began to form. She drew roses, ferns, trees, and even a few plants she didn't recognize, until a new shape began to take form. She thought hard as she let her pencil create the shape of ears, hair, eyes, a nose, a mouth, shoulders draped in an odd outfit, and a tail. She glanced over her handiwork for a moment, giving a small, satisfied smile at the outline of the sketch before she continued, finishing the body and outfit before grabbing a black pen for touch-ups. She slowly traced the man that she had seen in a dream only a few nights ago; a dream she hadn't been able to shake from her mind. She outlined his ears and tail first, and then proceeded with his hair. She began to outline and shade his outfit when she suddenly felt watched. She paused, as if glancing over her work once more.

"Miss Sasaki," a smooth voice whispered from her right, indicating just who had been watching her draw. "I didn't know you were an artist."

Adjusting her glasses to rest higher up on her nose, Meika let her smoky grey irises lift from her drawings, meeting striking green orbs that were alight with an unreadable emotion. Was it curiosity? Suspicion? Both? A coy smile graced her features as she glanced over the normally quiet redhead, whom she currently rivaled with in class ranking. "Yeah, I draw when I'm bored. It's nothing, really." She watched his eyes trail to the drawing and look it over before quickly returning to meet her own gaze. She had seen his slight eyebrow twitch, but acted as if she hadn't. "This character is a guy I've seen in my dreams lately. I think he's supposed to be a kitsune, but I'm not sure."

At her small explanation, Shuichi Minimino's expression smoothed and formed a politely interested smile- a smile that Meika hated to see because it always seemed forced, no matter who wore it. Though, it wasn't what had caught her attention. Instead, a new gleam was in the boy's eyes, unsettling the girl.

"That must have been a very interesting dream if it created a character such as this," he commented, eyes roving over to the drawing once more, as if calculating something within its depths. "Might I ask what his name is?" Meika, feeling as if she were walking on eggshells, eyed the redhead with an inquiringly raised brow.

"His name?" she repeated, watching as his green eyes left the drawing, but avoided her own as he nodded. She took a moment to think back to the dream, unsure if she had even heard a name given for the man. She summoned images of the kitsune running through dense forestry, using a whip to tear through monsters that challenged him to take back what he had stolen. Challenger after challenger had fallen, but that wasn't important to her at the moment. She summoned another image of said demon glancing her over, a look of boredom on his face as he seemingly wrapped her arm in a thick bandage, saying incoherent words to her with his smooth voice. She recalled another scene where he had been calling orders to a group of men, then beckoned for her to follow and watch for surprise attacks from behind. Each scene was more interesting than the first as she recalled them, but no name surfaced, and she simply shook her head to indicate as such. Shuichi opened his mouth to respond, but the sudden, loud tolling of the school bell interrupted him, and instead, he simply offered a polite smile once more.

"Well, you are very talented. Perhaps you should take art classes," he suggested as they put their things away, Meika rushing as she did so.

"Thank you, I'll consider it," she responded before hitching her bag over her shoulder and, without a wave goodbye or a glance back, made a break for the door.

She rushed through the school hallways, determined to get out of the crowded school and away from the mass of people. She bumped into people as she rushed, but in no time at all, she was bursting through the front doors of the school and out onto the school grounds. She blinked against the bright rays of light once, twice, three times, until her eyes adjusted to the harsh sunlight. Ignoring the many people and conversations around her, all of which seemed shouted to her thanks to her sensitive hearing, she walked away from the school grounds. After all, lingering in such a loudly populated place gave her headaches and irritated her. Why? That's because she didn't wish to hear every single conversation that went on in the school gates. Of course, the streets weren't so peachy either.

Her friends usually joked about her hearing, normally calling her something along the lines of "Bat Girl" due to her poor eyesight and great hearing. They also said that her supersonic hearing was God's way of making up for his screw-up with her vision. What confused her and her friends was the fact that she had once had 20/20 vision until she had moved into this town. After her arrival here five years ago, it had seemed to just fade away as time wore on.

She rounded the corner of the last block to her apartment, only to run into a brick wall.

Or at least, that's what she'd thought she'd hit.

"Watch where you're goin', would ya?" Meika looked up from her spot on the ground and glanced over a girl with long blonde curls and chocolate colored eyes. Her hands were busy brushing away dirt from her black jeans as she stood with a scowl on her face. Her eyes darted about the scene crazily, obviously in search for someone. "Well shit, now he's gone. Thank you, stranger," the girl remarked sarcastically, turning a stone-cold glare onto her. Meika's eyes went wide before narrowing to slits.

"I'm sorry, I-"  
"What's your name?"

"M-my name?" she stuttered, blinking up at the girl's abrupt question.

"Are you blind and deaf? Yes, your name!"

"Meika Sasaki."

The blonde's head tipped to the side a bit in thought before she offered Meika a hand up. Her expression was one she'd seen only a while ago: quiet calculation.

"Get inside, Meika. It's a bad day to be roaming the city."

The stranger's eyes had softened a bit, but they still held the calculating gleam as she considered Meika for a few moments longer. Then, her eyes shot up and narrowed at something in the distance and a frown formed on her face. Without another word, the stranger gave a small growl and dashed in the direction she had been going before encountering Meika, leaving the said girl amazed. Was it even possible for someone to run that fast?


	3. Chapter Two

_**A/N: Thank you RadiantLighting and SinisteRRRsAngel for the reviews! They mean a lot and keep me writing!**_

**Chapter Two**

Meika gave a sigh as she glanced at the decoratively wrapped present that sat on her kitchen table. Her two friends, who had run into her shortly after the blonde stranger had disappeared, stood behind her in the doorway of her apartment. Laughing and giggling like mad, the two girls urged her forward, closing the door behind them.

"It's from both of us!" Botan chimed, her hands putting more pressure on the birthday girl's shoulder blades than she had thought possible.

"The blue pinstripes are courtesy of yours truly!" Hana, a small, petite brunette girl, piped up from Meika's right. Her exuberance matched Botan's perfectly, and it was almost overwhelming to have so much excitement in one room.

"Happy birthday!" The duo chimed in unison, with Hana presenting a colorfully polka-dotted cake.

"Thanks you guys, but you didn't have to," Meika mumbled as she was forced into one of the chairs at the dining table.

"Of course we do, silly!" The blunette began, handing the small box over to Meika.

"If we didn't, what kind of friends would we be?" Hana added, placing two candles on the cake and lighting them. A small smile formed on Meika's features as she slowly untied the ribbon from the box, glad to find it wasn't a part of the wrapping. She placed it carefully on the table, planning on keeping it, and then worked at tearing away the green, white, and blue striped wrapping while the other two girls babbled about what their initial plan had been and how it had fallen through.

"That's okay. I much prefer small things like this anyway," Meika reassured as the last of the wrapping fell away. A bright smile suddenly colored her features as her grey orbs took in the sight of the digital camera box. "Thanks guys! How did you know I needed a new camera?" she asked as she peeled open the box, wanting to hold her new lavender colored camera in her hands and test it.

"Well, I figured that since we hadn't seen you with your camera recently, you probably broke it. It was really weird to see you without a camera in your hands every day," Hana responded, her smile as bright and radiant as the afternoon sun as she ran a hand through her brunette curls.

"Plus, the last time you broke a camera, you moped for two weeks straight! Now, don't let the candles melt! Make a wish!"

Meika glanced at the eighteen candles on her purple, pink, orange and pastel yellow polka dotted cake. She admired the handiwork for a moment before crossing her fingers underneath the table, squeezing her eyes shut, and blew out the small flames. A small round of cheers was given before three pieces were cut from the strawberry cake. Meika handed the pieces of cake out before turning to Botan, who was the only one standing at the moment.

"If you guys want some ice cream, there's some in my freezer," she informed, turning and placing batteries in her new camera and snapping a few test shots. The familiar click of the pictures being taken made all thoughts of weird dreams or encounters and boring homework disappear in a moment, leaving a sense of peace she hadn't felt in weeks. Oh, how she had missed her camera!

"Meika?"

Said girl lifted her grey irises to meet Botan's pink orbs in confusion. "Hmm?" she hummed out in confusion. Had she really been that preoccupied with the camera?

"I asked if you wanted some ice cream!" Botan repeated with a laugh.

"Don't go postal on us now that you have a camera!" Hana teased, taking the silky blue ribbon and tying Meika's white hair back in an elaborate bow. "We need you to stay sane because after this, we are going to the movies for a movie night!"

"And you aren't allowed to back out of it! It's part of your birthday gift!" Botan elaborated as she scooped vanilla ice cream into bowls for her and Hana and took the seat on Meika's right, sitting across from Hana. "It will be so much fun! Movie theater popcorn is the best! I think we could go see that new movie about the vampires and that girl named Bella..."

"You mean Twilight?" Hana offered, making Botan nod vigorously in agreement.

"No, I didn't really like the books. It's just too unrealistic for my liking," Meika replied slowly and thoughtfully, going over a mental list of the movies playing as she took a few bites from her cake slice. "What about that new action movie?"

"Or maybe that new Disney movie!"

"The one about the robot? Hana, you would be the one to choose that movie," Meika teased slightly with a small smile. "But I like that idea better than the action movie idea. What about you Botan?" Both girls turned to face the bluenette in search for an opinion, but she wasn't even paying attention. Meika followed her line of sight and turned to glance at the open window above her sink. She smiled at the raven that perched in the windowsill and quickly grabbed her camera, taking a quick snapshot of the black bird before it took flight once more. Botan's attention was almost instantly diverted back to the conversation at hand.

"Sorry, what were we saying?"

"We were talking about movies we could go see, and we thought of the new Disney movie! Wouldn't it be cute?" Hana chimed enthusiastically, her smile bright and wide.

"That sounds perfect! Meika, hurry up and go change out of your school uniform so we can go!"

Nodding, said girl stood and placed her dishes in the sink before taking off down the short hallway to her bedroom. She glanced around the pale green room for a moment, not letting her gaze hit her school bag in hopes that she wouldn't feel bad for, once again, procrastinating on her homework. She quickly searched through her wardrobe, finally deciding on her white tank top and a blue skirt to match her blue ribbon that Hana had tied in her hair. She quickly changed outfits and put on her grey converse before glancing around for her final accessory: her favorite necklace. She eyed the red pendant that was on top of her work desk with a small smile. She quickly retrieved it and placed around her neck, letting the silver-encased red pendant rest on her chest. Taking a last woeful glance at her school bag full of homework before leaving her room she shut the cherry wood door behind her before proceeding to the kitchen.

As she entered the room, she couldn't help but smile a small smile at the conversation she heard.

"The Cherry Blossom festival should come early this year, since the cherry trees are blooming early."

"Yeah, but Meika only goes for the pictures and the cute outfits. Why would I go?"

"It would be fun, Hana! Plus, there's going to be tons of food to try!"

"Bribing me with food won't always work, Botan."

"It hasn't failed yet, Hana. Now can we go? I don't want to be late and I'd like to have a top row seat!" Meika interrupted, grabbing her blue jacket from the coat rack and heading for the door.

"Still as punctual as always," Botan muttered, smiling.

"Don't forget your camera!" Hana called as she rushed to catch up, placing the lavender object in Meika's right hand.

"Thanks." she replied as she clasped the object tightly, as if it might disappear if she didn't. After locking her apartment door, she and the other two girls turned and made their way down the iron steps of the complex, descending two flights in silence before Meika spoke up again. "So how's it going at that delinquent internship place? It's called Spirit World, right?" she asked in curiosity, remembering that a week or so ago she had found out about their jobs.

Botan hesitated, but Hana was quick to cover her friend's hesitation. "It's hectic. Something happens almost every day."

"Like what?"

"It's different each time. Sometimes the kids fight each other, and sometimes they actually get work done. Most of the time though, there are a lot of fights. I'm telling you, they're real monsters!" Botan piped, laughing at something only she seemed to find funny. Hana shot a small look at the blunette that went unnoticed by Meika, who gave an inquiring look. Did she miss the joke? The group stayed silent after that. Meika occupied herself by taking snapshots of the sky, the trees, even the people in the streets, whereas Hana and Botan were having a silent conversation with their eyes. It didn't last long though, because Meika spoke up as she took pictures.

"Can we stop by the cafe before we go to the theater? I need to check my work schedule for this week and pick up my check."

"Sure thing!" The duo piped in perfect unison as they continued down the street.

"I'll be quick, so we aren't late to the movie."

"Sheesh, we leave forty minutes early and she still thinks we will be late..." Hana mumbled, shaking her head in slight amusement. "We are fine on time, girl."

Meika simply shrugged her shoulders and turned her camera to the picture section as they entered the small cafe. She wasn't surprised when there was a small line inside; the place was always busy. She scrolled through the pictures idly as the trio waited for the line to clear at the register, Meika smiling softly at the few shots she got. However, her smile faltered as she caught a glimpse of a particular man in one of the pictures of the crowd. She slowly zoomed in on him to get a better look, and gaped at what she saw. The man's brown hair was tousled and messy and his clothes were tattered and torn. His skin was an odd green color, and he had four horns protruding from his head. Four horns! His eyes were blood red and his teeth were as sharp as a shark's would be. He had ugly scars on his face, but she couldn't exactly make them out.

A pop sounded from her left and Meika glanced over at her two friends who were arguing. A frown etched itself onto Meika's features more before she shook her head, watching Hana hit Botan on the arm, creating the same popping sound. Botan flinched away, but still hit her back. "That was rude, Hana!"

"Well, maybe you should think before you say something!"

Another pop.

"Hana, stop beating up Botan." Meika said with a small sigh, glancing up to see the line had disappeared in the few minutes she had been ogling at her camera. She walked forward, smiling a coy smile at the manager. "Hi Aya. Do you have my work schedule for the week?" she asked, looking back at her two friends who began arguing in whispers.

"I sure do! Give me a second, sweetheart!" the elderly woman said before limping away to the back of the store. Meika slowly looked at her camera once more, taking in the picture of the normal man before rubbing her eyes. So, she had imagined it after all? "Here you go hun! Have a good day!" Aya suddenly chimed, sliding a folded sheet of paper and a white envelope to Meika across the counter with a dismissal. Meika gave a smile and placed her schedule, check, and camera in her jacket pocket before turning to leave the cafe.

"Meika, help me!"

Glancing back at her two friends once more, Meika huffed. Hana was basically strangling Botan. "Sorry, but I can't fend off an irritated dwarf. I bruise easily." Meika hummed teasingly as she lead the way from the shop, knowing her friends would follow her.

"Well, at least she didn't call me a midget this time..."


	4. Chapter Three

**Chapter Three**

The trio of girls crossed town at a brisk pace that Meika had created after leaving the small coffee shop. The impatient girl had stopped the silent argument between her friends before taking the lead, maneuvering through the crowd expertly with only one goal in mind: a top row seat in the theater. It was proving to be quite the challenge since her haste left her bumping into person after person, earning grumbled complaints from both the passerby and her friends, who tried their best to keep up with the long-distance runner.

"Meika, you can't get in without us! We're paying, remember?" Hana called to her friend between puffs of air. "Plus, I got out of track for a reason! Hey, I said wait up!"

Botan didn't say a word. She merely tried her best to catch up with Meika, wondering just why she had agreed to the task of watching over the girl. Sadly, Koenma had decided that Hana wasn't experienced enough to handle the job alone, so she had agreed to help out and feign humanity once more. She wasn't used to it; the last time she'd used a human body had been when Yusuke and Sensui had battled for the end of humanity. No, she hadn't even used her human body to watch the Makkai Tournament over the rule of the Demon World!

"Botan, you're falling behind," Hana hissed, slowing down just enough to talk to Botan quietly. "Hurry it up and keep up the pace! I can't do this alone!"

"This would be easier if I had my oar!" the ferry girl complained as she picked up her pace again.

"Yes, but Koenma specifically said-" the girl was cut off as she tried avoiding running into someone, only just catching herself in time to dance around the boy. She tiptoed around him, giving numerous apologies until she finally she looked up. She instantly went silent and gave a frown; she was supposed to avoid the members of the team until it was absolutely necessary to inform them on the situation! She heaved a breath and readied for another round of apologies. Instead, only two words came out. "E-excuse me!" She said once more before turning and taking off once more, leaving Botan and Kurama behind.

Botan's pink orbs watched Hana's small frame as she disappeared into the crowd after Meika before she slowly turned to the redhead.

"Well hello there! It sure is a doozy to see you here!" she greeted him, panting for breath.

The redhead gave his signature greeting as well: a nod and a small smile. "Hello to you as well. I haven't seen you since the Makkai Tournament. I assume all is well and you're staying busy?"

"Everything is as good as it can be," Botan answered with a small nod. "Koenma has been stuck with mounds of paperwork since Yusuke said he was staying in the Makkai longer than planned. I can't believe it's already been two and a half years! Boy, does time fly! Is it still just you and Kuwabara taking care of rogue demons or has Hiei returned?"

The redhead gave a small look of thoughtfulness before turning his green orbs in the direction Hana had disappeared, as if calculating the circumstances and what could be going wrong. It wasn't easy to fool the former fox thief; no human facade would truly hide a ferry girl from his knowledge.

"No, it is still just Kuwabara and I. Last I heard from Yusuke, he should be returning within the year, and Hiei is still on the patrol team for Mukuro." Kurama informed as he slowly turned to look at Botan, stuffing his hands into his jean pockets. "Have you spoken with Genkai lately?"

"Oh, yes I have! She requested that each of us clear our schedules for this Saturday, right?" She asked, giving a smile as he nodded in confirmation. "I wonder what it's all about..."

"Botan!" A familiar voice shouted, sounding more than just a bit irate. "Let's go, we're going to be late! I don't want to have to wait for the next showing!" Meika urged as she approached, only glancing at Kurama, who gave her a look over and a polite smile. "Hello Shuichi! Sorry, but I'm stealing Botan from you."

"Oh, right! Sorry, but I've got a movie to catch!" Botan said as she glanced over at her friend. He had his usual stance that indicated he had an act to put on, including his normal polite smile. His green orbs turned to Meika once more and gave another sweep over her before his eyes finally froze on her necklace. He didn't answer Botan or Meika before they disappeared into the crowd, leaving him staring at the place where they had disappeared. His eyes narrowed slightly as he thought over the prospect. However, he didn't have even a single doubt in his mind that the necklace had once been Kuronue's.

Even when the girls were long gone and far away from his line of sight, his mind was going through the different thoughts about the possibility of it being a coincidence. However, he hadn't ever really been one for believing in coincidences. However, he also knew that standing in the middle of the crowd, staring, wasn't a wise idea. He figured he might as well get a move on to the supermarket before his mother began to worry. He would simply have to get his answers from Botan at a later date.

* * *

"That was such a cute movie!" Hana gushed as she stood from her chair in the still-dark theater. She stretched, raising her arms over her head and releasing a grunt as bones popped and cracked. She then glanced at her watch and proceeded to down the last of her soda in a single swig.

"It was so adorable!" Botan chimed as she pulled her 3-D glasses off, slowly turning to Meika with a broad grin plastered on her features. She opened her mouth to say something, the sound of Hana shoving the rest of her candy into her mouth interrupting her for only a second before she continued anyway. "What did you think, Meika?"

Slowly, Meika stood from her seat and cautiously stretched as well. Her stomach churned and her head spun, and her initial instinct was to rip off the 3-D glasses and toss them into the chair. Instantly her head stopped spinning, but her stomach continued to do flips.

"I think seeing it in three-dimension was a bad idea... Or maybe it was the popcorn," she mumbled, rubbing her temple. "The movie was good though. What time is it?"

"It's 7:45," Hana grumbled around a mouthful of gummy worms.

Botan shot her friend a look before standing and grabbing as much of the trash around her as she could into her arms. She gently nudged Hana and Meika, "Let's get going before the birthday girl pukes." She nodded at Meika to take the lead and followed shortly after her. She eyed her friend as they descended the poorly lit steps, thinking through the fact that Meika's first time in 3-D would most likely be her last. Suddenly, an idea hit her. "Why don't we stop at the little sandwich shop around the block for dinner," she suggested inquiringly. "Since Hana paid for the movies, I will pay for dinner."

"Sounds like a plan!" Hana chimed from behind Botan as they reached the bottom of the steps. "What does Meika think?"

"Meika thinks she'll never see a movie in three-dimensions again," the girl in front groaned as they stepped into the lobby of the theater. The strong aroma of popcorn instantly filled her nostrils, causing her stomach to flip over three times worse than before. She quickly made for the door, running by people in the lobby, but being careful enough not to knock over anyone's drinks or snacks. She burst through the doors and the cool night air gave a wonderful sense of relief to the girl as she inhaled the clean air. After a few breaths, she turned to her friends as they exited the theater, looking her over with concerned expressions. Feeling better now that she had had a gulp or two of fresh air, she continued with what she had been about to say before entering the lobby. "I think the dinner idea is a good one and a sandwich sounds delightful right about now."

Her two friends exchanged glances momentarily before they nodded, seemingly deeming Meika fit to walk across town without being sick. Then, the trio of girls turned to the almost empty street side and began their trek towards the deli that was only around the corner from the theater. Silence hung over the girls as they sauntered along the sidewalk, occasionally passing by other pedestrians running last-minute errands. Street lights flickered to life as the last rays of the evening sun fell below the horizon, throwing grotesque shadows on the sidewalk and buildings. Some shadows even seemed to move in Meika's eyes, but she figured her mind was playing games again and, by the time she entered the deli shop, she was about ready to deem herself crazy. Even the only customer in the place seemed odd to her!

Grey eyes narrowed to slits as Meika took in the appearance of the tall man at the counter. He was slouched over slightly and his hands were stuffed in his tattered coat's pockets. His brown hair was a tousled mess and there were disgusting stains all over his jeans. His sneakers were just as filthy as his jeans, stained with an odd color that made her skin crawl. Suddenly, recognition hit her and her eyes widened just as she saw his skin turn green and four horns form on his head. Her skin crawled and her stomach flipped. She slowly turned to her friends, feeling herself become jittery and nervous.

"Guys, I think we should try somewhere else," she whispered to the duo, her grey irises never leaving the creature's back.

"But this is perfect, Meika!" Hana whined, giving a pleading look. "They aren't busy and their sandwiches are the best on this side of town!"

Botan turned to respond but froze when she caught sight of Meika. The girl's face was pale and her lips were pursed, her eyes also wide and unblinking as she stared ahead. Confused, Botan turned her pink orbs in the direction Meika was looking, glancing over the normal looking man that stood at the counter. She glanced over his wardrobe, looking for whatever it was that had caught Meika's attention. It didn't take long for her eyes to halt on the stains on the man's jeans. They were disgusting and looked a bit like he had wiped... Her eyes widened at the realization that the stains were blood stains and she rounded on Hana.

"We need to go, now!"

Meika heard Botan's urgent demand, but she was too mesmerized by the man in front of her, who slowly turned to face the group. Crimson eyes met grey ones, and then the next thing Meika knew, the lights that hung over the man exploded, raining down sparks and shattered glass. More miniature electricity explosions occurred as screams sounded from the staff of the restaurant and the trio of girls. Hana grabbed Meika and Botan and shoved the two under a table as more lights exploded one after another, and then she too crawled under the table to seek refuge from the chaos.

Meika snapped from her state of shock and glanced over at Botan, who had pulled out a compact mirror. Disbelief flooded Meika's entire being, and she couldn't help the fact that she wanted to strangle her friend at the moment.

"Botan, now isn't the time to fix your damn makeup!" she shouted over the exploding glass.

Botan waved at the girl to be quiet and not panic as the image of a toddler appeared onto a small screen that Meika hadn't expected to see. The toddler looked around the room he was in, yelling orders at someone named Jorge before he finally glanced from whoever he was talking to and at the screen. His eyes widened as he took in the view of a scared Botan and a confused Meika, but Botan spoke before he could.

"Koenma, we need backup!" she shouted at the tin screen, pausing to take a breath before continuing, "We're in the deli on the corner of Second and Akuma Boulevard! A demon has cornered us, sir!" She ended her speech with a scream as another light exploded above the table they took refuge under.

The toddler's face screwed into an expression of worry and duty as he nodded. "I'll call Kurama," he said quickly before the screen went black, leaving white noise to consume the screen.

However, her eyes turned to the pair of tennis shoes that were approaching the table the trio were crouched under. She eyed the pair of shoes as they came to a stop just before the table and she couldn't help but hold her breath. Time seemed to stand still for a moment before, suddenly, the man's ugly face appeared beneath the table and his hand shot towards the girls. His clawed hand wrapped around Meika's wrist and he jerked her out from under the table. He lifted her in the air by her wrist, high enough that her feet didn't even scrape the ground. She let out a scream of pain as his grip tightened and his smile twisted into a malevolent smirk.

"Where's your Mommy now, little one?" he asked with his guttural voice. "Oh right, my brother and I killed her five and a half years ago." he taunted, his smirk growing to show his sharp teeth. "And now her half-breed daughter will follow her to the next world."


End file.
